How Much Would You Pay?
So the great Digital Transition has now taken place, and from what I can tell other then a few minor scratches we made it through things fine.
With the big digital transition gone from the law books are the laws of “grade b” signals. And because that law is no longer in effect Dish Network customers are now permitted to subscribe to distant networks from All American Direct.
The news of HD / SD distant networks from All American Direct came from Dish Network CEO Charlie Ergen last week on his “Charlie Chat” television show.
When the news broke the Internet satellite forums lit up with very excited satellite fans, excited that they would soon be ordering HD distant networks from All American Direct. Many of these satellite customers could not wait for Saturday to get here so they could place their orders.
And then Saturday got here, and lots of people called All American Direct and logged into mydistantnetworks.com and it was there they found something they were not prepared for… Sticker Shock.
To get all 4 networks from Chicago or LA via All American Direct it is going to cost you $24.99 a month to watch channels your local broadcasters should be delivering to you over the air for FREE.
The sounds of joy quickly turned onto complaints.
From the sounds of things it appears a number of reader contacted All American Direct / National Programming Service owner Mike Mountford complaining about the high cost of the new service.
Mike was quickly to reply back to those writers saying, “With the prices, I don’t like them either. I know they are high, but unfortunately with the cost of an HD DBS transponder, backhauls, equipment needed to provide the HD service versus our estimated revenue, (based on our small subscriber numbers and only 30% having HD capability) the choice came down to launching the service at these prices or not providing HD at all. We decided on the latter based upon input from our customer base. Hopefully you will see the value in the service.”
I think Mike needs to hire Billy Mays as the pitchman for All American Direct, I can already hear him screaming, “but how much would you pay?” at viewers around the country and trying to convince folks that $24.99 is a good deal. As great a pitchman Billy Mays is, I don’t think even he could sell this package at this price.
Sorry Mike, but with your prices that high you have probably scared away 75% of the folks who were interested in your product.
With the prices so high I don’t think the NAB has anything to worry about with viewers flocking to get distant networks.
wibbs commented:
I tried to use All American Direct to get distant locals and was told that after the DTV switch, they were no longer available even with a waiver. Bummer 'cause I really wanted to move to Dish from DirecTv for this feature. Imagine DVRing shows 3 hours early or watching stuff from the east before it's edited for west coast feeds. Would've been great!
jeffmadigan commented:
I bet he had a brain bleed from the hit on the head. I know too many people and stories about the same situation. Hit on head by something and within a month or just days, they die. Get checked out at the hospital if you hit your head.......... Mandatory people..... www.billymayes.blogspot.com/
rosiehazzard commented:
RIP Billy Mays. Check out for updates WWW.billymayes.blogspot.com/
directv commented:
full channels
DNS commented:
Also, with All American Direct you aren't accessing the same transponder feeds that local customers in LA and Chicago get as those are on a spotbeam transponder. The All American Direct feeds are on different national beam transponder. If they were to use the same transponder feed, Dish Network could be found in contempt of the order to stop delivering distant networks on their own so they have to use a different transponder to keep the "loophole" alive.
DNS commented:
Also, with All American Direct you aren't accessing the same transponder feeds that local customers in LA and Chicago get as those are on a spotbeam transponder. The All American Direct feeds are on different national beam transponder. If they were to use the same transponder feed, Dish Network could be found in contempt of the order to stop delivering distant networks on their own so they have to use a different transponder to keep the "loophole" alive.
DNS commented:
Distant Networks were meant for people who reside in areas where Dish Network doesn't provide a local affiliate and they can't get a grade B signal over the air. Everyone else who wanted the distant networks needed a wavier from their local affiliate. Dish Network broke this rule by activating ineligible users without going through the wavier process and were fined and stripped of their rights to provide this service. After that happened, All American Direct (a Dish Network retailer) leased transponders from Dish and uplinked their own versions of Distant Networks for their and other Dish Network customer. Basically creating a loophole to give eligible Dish Network customers access to distan networks once again since technically Dish Network isn't providing this service, All American Direct is. Similar to the old Sky Angel relationship.
DNS commented:
Distant Networks were meant for people who reside in areas where Dish Network doesn't provide a local affiliate and they can't get a grade B signal over the air. Everyone else who wanted the distant networks needed a wavier from their local affiliate. Dish Network broke this rule by activating ineligible users without going through the wavier process and were fined and stripped of their rights to provide this service. After that happened, All American Direct (a Dish Network retailer) leased transponders from Dish and uplinked their own versions of Distant Networks for their and other Dish Network customer. Basically creating a loophole to give eligible Dish Network customers access to distan networks once again since technically Dish Network isn't providing this service, All American Direct is. Similar to the old Sky Angel relationship.
TroyT commented:
Can someone explain why it would cost $24.99 to receive the same channels people who live in Chicago or LA can get from Dish for one third the price. What exactly is All American delivering? Why can't Dish simply turn on the local channels they already deliver to those cities?
Me commented:
if someone is desperate for their locals in HD, they'll probably pony up the $ for it. I know i would.
disappointed commented:
As usual... Charlie and his cohorts are penny wise but pound foolish.
Guest commented:
If you truely can't receive your local channels those folks will probably be happy to pay the price. But looking at a number of post from the www.satelliteguys.us web site it appears a large number of people were wanting this service to either skirt the need for purchasing sports packages to get some out of market games or wanting the oppisite coast network feeds and really don't NEED this service.
rmh commented:
Isn't that the truth. Great article Scott. Mike needs to wake up and think about something called an economy of scale. $10/month and he would have had a new customer - $25, he can enjoy making not a penny.
